Theresa May announces snap election in Britain

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has announced plans to call a snap general election on 8 June.

According to BBC News, she said Britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership following the EU referendum.

Explaining the decision, Mrs May said: "The country is coming together but Westminster is not."

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said his Labour Party wanted the election, calling it a chance to get a government that puts "the majority first".

There will be a vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday to approve the election plan - the prime minister needs two thirds of MPs to vote in favour to hold a vote before the next scheduled election date of 2020.

Explaining her change of heart on an early election, Mrs May said: "I have concluded the only way to guarantee certainty and security for years ahead is to hold this election."

She accused Britain's other political parties of "game playing", adding that this risks "our ability to make a success of Brexit and it will cause damaging uncertainty and instability to the country".